We’re less than one month out from the start of the Isuzu UTE A-League season, and if you haven’t started to tinker with your Official A-Leagues Fantasy squads, there’s no better time to start than now.
With clubs around the A-Leagues ramping up their preparations for the season ahead, new signings and familiar faces are beginning to gel in their respective squads, and those keeping a close eye on each club’s pre-season activity will be taking note of the players catching the eye before Round 1.
This week saw Melbourne City, Central Coast Mariners and Macarthur FC begin their respective campaigns in Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s top two continental competitions: the Asian Champions League (City) and the AFC Cup (Mariners and Macarthur).
In among the midweek action, a number of new signings caught the eye from the three clubs – some of which are shaping up as promising early inclusions in your A-League Men Fantasy side.
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Valère Germain (Macarthur FC)
- Position: Forward
- Price: $348k
Valère Germain is one of two vastly-experienced European recruits making this list, and for good reason: his ceiling as a fantasy scorer is high heading into his maiden A-League Men campaign, and Macarthur’s 3-0 AFC Cup win over Shan United only looked to reinforce that point.
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Germain was relatively quiet in the final third but scored from the spot with a penalty in the first half. Bulls captain Ulises Davila was the usual penalty-taker for Macarthur, but on Thursday night he gave the honours to the Frenchman who repaid the faith with a confident strike.
It’s an early sign of a changing of the guard in that respect for Macarthur; having penalty-takers in your fantasy team is a major asset and should Germain keep hold of said duties, along with a starting berth up top for the Bulls, expect the former Nice, Monaco, Montpellier and Marseille man to rack up the points throughout the 2023-24 A-League Men campaign.
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Mikael Doka (Central Coast Mariners)
- Position: Defender
- Price: $203k
An exciting off-season arrival in Gosford, Brazilian wing-back Mikael Doka is accomplished in both defence and attack, and should take his fair share of set pieces for the Mariners this season.
Doka was a bright spark on the right side of the Mariners’ defence in a 1-0 loss to Terengganu in the AFC Cup on Wednesday night, and was on free-kick duties in the second half, with an attempt whipped toward the top-left corner from a dead ball flashing just wide of the mark.
Putting Doka in your A-League Men Fantasy squad could prove a masterstroke, particularly if he is utilised as a winger at times throughout the season. It’s still early doors, but watch this space as Doka continues to find his feet at the Mariners.
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Jamie Young (Melbourne City)
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Price: $273k
It was a man of the match performance by Jamie Young in between the sticks for Melbourne City on Wednesday night as he single-handedly kept his side’s sheet clean with a number of impressive saves against Ventforet Kofu.
The J2 League side could have easily departed Melbourne with three points in the Asian Champions League group clash if not for Young’s presence in goal. The A-Leagues veteran was signed by City as a replacement for the departed Tom Glover at the end of the 2022-23 A-League Men campaign; Young had the equal-most saves of any keeper last season (102, level with Oli Sail) and his signature looks an assured piece of business for the reigning premiers.
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Angel Torres (Central Coast Mariners)
- Position: Forward
- Price: $176k
Colombian winger Angel Torres wasted a number of gilt-edged opportunities in the Mariners’ 1-0 loss to Terengganu on Wendesday night. But, his inefficiency in front of goal should not put off fantasy managers at this stage in pre-season; what should instead excite onlookers is his ability to find himself in the right place at the right time, as he did in a number of dangerous Mariners attacks on a night where nothing seemed to click in the final third for the reigning A-League Men champions.
The turnover in attacking personnel, to go with head coach Nick Montgomery and assistant Sergio Raimundo both departing, means the Mariners head into the new campaign looking a completely different side. Torres should play a crucial role in the squad’s rejuvenation, and with Marco Tulio looking as dangerous as ever against Terengganu, players like Torres, Christian Theoharous and Alou Kuol could be prime beneficiaries of his silver service in the final third.
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Torres spurned two glorious chances in the first half and had a late opportunity thwarted by a magnificent piece of defending from Terengganu. Torres looks a player who will continually pop up in dangerous areas for the Mariners and as he settles into life on the Coast, you can only assume his final product will improve as a result. Priced at $176k, he’s well worth a punt if fantasy managers are looking for a differential in attack.
Tolgay Arslan (Melbourne City)
- Position: Midfield
- Price: $348k
A slightly higher price tag than the rest of the players on this list – but the premium for Tolgay Arslan looks justified early doors.
The City midfielder arrives in Australia with an impressive footballing CV, joining the A-Leagues directly from the top flight of Italian football with Udinese. The former Turkey and Germany youth international operated in dangerous areas in and around City’s attacking box against Ventforet, denied a first-half by with a good save from Michael Woud in goal for the J2 League club.
City spearhead Jamie Maclaren was last season’s Golden Boot winner, and should he hit his straps once again this season, you can envisage Arslan playing the crucial role of provider for plenty of his best chances. The departure of Florin Berenguer, Valon Berisha, Richard van der Venne and Marco Tilio means Arslan will shoulder plenty of the attacking load – as will Hamza Sakhi (midfielder, $348k) who looked similarly threatening in patches against a very good Kofu outfit.
